Peanut Butter Cream Pie (Vegan)
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The ultimate creamy, dreamy frozen chocolate peanut butter pie. This no-bake recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
I was scrolling through my Instagram recently and found myself drooling over a slice of peanut butter cream pie, posted by someone eating at a restaurant in Australia, of all places.
Aside from the mouthwatering pic, I was intrigued by the idea that peanut butter cream pie, which I’ve always thought of as a distinctly American dessert, has traveled to the ends of the earth to delight hungry people Down Under.
But — back to this particular pie.
You probably know what it’s like to be struck by a craving.
If you do it right, a craving will worm its way into your brain and park there for a while until you take action.
Sometimes you can distract that pesky bugger by doing something entirely off the subject, like starting an epic round of vacuuming, or taking a walk or something.
That tactic wasn’t going to work this time.
My instant attraction to the lofty, chocolate-lashed pie ‘gram was obviously because peanut butter cream pie needed to happen, and pronto.
I wanted to make a pie in the classic tradition of a good, old-fashioned peanut butter cream pie — a confection with a rich, cloud-like texture and that intense peanut-butter-cup flavor.
Old fashioned peanut butter pie, only it’s vegan
I also didn’t want it to be a calorie bomb of sugar and dairy that would make me hate myself in the morning.
So, I borrowed some key secrets and ingredients from plant-based cuisine to create a pie that checked all the boxes.
The crust layer is a simple blend of ingredients:
- Walnuts
- Cocoa
- Maple syrup
The pie filling is rich peanutty cashew cream swirled with melted chocolate.
Dairy-free creamy pie filling
The secret to the rich filling is based on raw cashews, which make a delicious, neutral-tasting cream when soaked and blended.
Blended cashews often replace dairy products in vegan or dairy-free recipes.
The other trick I used for this recipe was using dates and maple syrup as sweeteners.
They’re both natural sources of sugar and flavor-wise, hey get along pretty happily with chocolate and peanut butter.
This is a very easy recipe, but you will need to get your hands on a high-speed blender (preferably) to make a super-smooth, rich cream.
A food processor will work, too — it just might take a few more minutes to get there.
The pie needs to be frozen until firm, then let it sit at room temperature briefly before slicing to unlock its luscious texture.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
Yield: One 9-inch pie
Filling:
- 2 cups (260 g) raw cashews
- ¾ cup (195 g) unsweetened creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, about 6
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 whole vanilla bean
- 4 ounces (125 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate(choose vegan chocolate if you prefer), chopped
- ⅓ cup (50 g) chopped unsalted peanuts
Crust:
- 2 cups (235 g) raw walnuts or almonds
- ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons (45 mk) maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
Make the filling:
- Cover the cashews with water and soak for 2 hours.
- Drain the cashews and put into a powerful blender or a food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water, the peanut butter, dates, maple syrup and sea salt. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the mixture. Puree until very smooth, thick and creamy (if the mixture becomes too thick to blend, add more water one tablespoon at a time until it’s the right consistency).
Make the crust:
- Process the walnuts or almonds in a food processor until they look like coarse flour. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until mixed. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch deep pie dish or tart pan with 2-inch sides.
- Pour the filling into the crust and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Put the chocolate in microwaveable dish and heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until it’s melted. Spoon some of the chocolate in random blobs over the top of the filling (save the rest for serving). Use a skewer or thin knife and swirl the chocolate into spirals (be sure not to touch the crust layer).
- Cover the pie and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Let it thaw at room temperature until it’s sliceable. Serve drizzled with more melted chocolate and sprinkled with peanuts.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- You need a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, or a 9-inch tart pan with 2" inch sides (also known as a quiche pan).
- Store the pie in the freezer and thaw at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
YUM! Looks so delicious and perfect as a summer dessert!
Thanks Natalie! It’s hard to pass on this one 🙂
oh, you are making me so hungry! this looks just wonderful. XO